Consumer rights only a ritual

By Nadia Fazlulhaq

Many consumers had to pay high prices for goods during the New Year season, despite repeated Government assurances that goods would be available at cheaper prices.

However, Consumer Affairs Authority officers took action against traders who did not display price lists but no action was reportedly taken against traders who sold goods at unreasonable prices.

Goods aplenty but at a price Pix by J. Weerasekera

Goods at reduced prices were available only at the limited Lak Sathosa shops and co-operative stores while the majority of the other retail shops went ahead selling their goods at higher prices. A well-known supermarket too, which has branches around the country, has come up with price reductions during this festive season.

The Sunday Times spoke to a few New Year shoppers to find out their views on prices of goods during the season.Mrs. Wasantha Amarakoon from Pannala said the cost of living had sky rocketed and even shopping for the New Year was a stress to people working in private and public sector institutions.

“But New Year comes once a year and even if we try not to show it, it’s a struggle for us with prices going up. Despite the high prices people want to keep up the tradition of shopping during this season. We hoped that the prices of food items and clothes will come down which would definitely have been a great relief, but unfortunately it didn’t happen this time,” she said adding that if the Government was hoping to reduce prices, at least the chain of Lak Sathosas should be expanded.

Mr. A. Shanmugam from Pitakotte said that even though the Government reduced the prices of some essential items, prices were high in the open market.

“Not only essential items but even fruits, vegetables and other food items were priced very high. The festive season should be a time when goods should be available at affordable prices for the middle class and the poor but all parties noticed the increase in prices,” he said.

Indika Nanayakkara who had come shopping with his wife and baby found the price of ready made clothes high so he opted to buy cloth materials and clothes sold by pavement hawkers.“Sri Lanka exports garments to many countries but the unbelievable thing is the clothes here are expensive and we couldn’t afford to buy many like last year,” he said.

Mrs. Munasinghe from Polhengoda said people go shopping as it is a ritual prior to the New Year, despite the rising cost of living.

Gnanasiri Subasinghe from Matara has 15 years experience as a vendor on the pavements in Nugegoda.

“This year there is a major decrease in the number of shoppers due to security reasons, the rains which had begun and also because the prices of items like clothes, cooking utensils, fruits, vegetables and other food items have gone up,” he said.

Speaking to The Sunday Times Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) Chairman Sarath Wijesinghe said CAA officers keep close watch on traders who do not display prices. They would be fined between Rs.10,000 and Rs. 200,000. Consumers could buy essential goods from the 54 Lak Sathosa outlets, four budget shops and 7000 cooperative stores around the country, he said.

“Our country has an open economy and it’s impossible to have strict price controls. That is the reason Minister Bandula Gunawardena is in the process of negotiating with different groups of traders to sign agreements on selling at a reasonable price. Meanwhile the consumers can make complaints to the Consumer Affairs Authority on any unreasonable trading practices,” he said.